The Hatuels opposed Ariel Sharon's proposed Gaza pullout because they understood that unilaterally surrendering land to Hamas and the PLO could only result in more terror and bloodshed, not less.

Meirav, the 2-year-old, had been strapped into a car seat for safety. But car seats are no protection against bullets, and by the time rescue workers reached the Citroen station wagon, Meirav was dead of multiple gunshot wounds to the head. So was her 7-year-old sister, Roni. And Hadar, the 9-year-old. And Hila, 11. One by one, each had been shot at point-blank range.

In the driver's seat, their mother was dead, too. Tali Hatuel, 34, was a social worker who was often called upon to comfort and assist victims of terrorism. Eight months pregnant with her first boy, she had been driving to Ashkelon on Sunday for an ultrasound exam. Then she and the girls had planned to join her husband, David, at an election precinct to urge voters to oppose the controversial Israeli referendum on unilaterally "disengaging" from the Gaza Strip.

But David never saw his wife and daughters alive again. He buried them Sunday evening, sobbing with grief and surrounded by thousands of mourners in Ashkelon's new cemetery. "You were my flowers," he wept. "I am all alone and there is no one left."

Not long after the slaughter of the Hatuel family, two terror groups -- Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committee -- proudly claimed responsibility in a call to the Associated Press. The Voice of Palestine radio praised the quintuple murder as a "heroic" operation against "five settlers," not bothering to mention that the victims were an unarmed pregnant woman and four children or that their bodies had been riddled with bullets fired at close range.

The savagery of the attack was similarly downplayed by National Public Radio in its broadcast the next morning. Actually, reporter Julie McCarthy did more than minimize the horror of the massacre. She blamed the victims for "provoking" their own murder -- not by anything they did but by their mere "presence" in the disputed territory.

The settlers were rallying to defeat the Gaza pullout referendum, McCarthy reported, "saying Israel was withdrawing under fire. But there was ample evidence yesterday to show that their continued presence in Gaza is provoking bloodshed. Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinian gunmen after the men ambushed a mother and her four small daughters outside the Gaza settlement of Gush Katif. The family was shot and killed on their way to the Israeli city of Ashkelon."

In NPR's warped moral calculus, Tali Hatuel and her children are in early graves not because Palestinian culture celebrates the mass murder of Jews but because Jews have no business living among Arabs. If McCarthy had been reporting from Birmingham in September 1963, would she have blamed the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church on the provocative "presence" of the four black girls who died in the explosion?

The Hatuels opposed Ariel Sharon's proposed Gaza pullout because they understood that unilaterally surrendering land to Hamas and the PLO could only result in more terror and bloodshed, not less. If the past decade -- the era of the "land for peace" delusion -- has made anything clear, it is that the more Israel concedes to the Palestinians, the worse Palestinian terror becomes. Abandoning Gaza will not make the Arabs more peaceful. It will simply strengthen their conviction that Israelis can be defeated through terrorism and make Gaza a more effective staging-area for attacks on Jews.

The only workable recipe for lasting Middle East peace is the difficult one of remaking Palestinian society from the bottom up.

Notwithstanding the defeat of Sunday's referendum, Sharon says he still intends to go forward with his "disengagement" from Gaza. That presumably will mean the uprooting of some 8,000 Gazan Jews from the homes, farms, and schools they have built over the past quarter-century. The State Department and the UN will cheer the sight of Gaza being ethnically cleansed of its Jewish population -- being rendered "Judenrein," as the Nazis used to say. But having approved Sharon's expulsion of Jews from territory largely occupied by Arabs, what will they say if he then proposes to expel Arabs from places whose majority is Jewish?

Arab-Israeli peace will not be won by dragging people kicking and screaming from their homes. Nor will it be won by giving land and statehood to the gangsters who run Hamas and Fatah.

The only workable recipe for lasting Middle East peace is the difficult one of remaking Palestinian society from the bottom up. Of destroying its poisonous culture of violence, death-worship, and Jew-hatred. Of educating its people for democracy and tolerance. Of replacing its cruel and corrupt rulers with leaders genuinely committed to moderation.

Only when -- only if -- such a transformation takes place will the Palestinians be ready for statehood. To confer sovereignty on them now would be disastrous, a guarantee of violence for years to come. If there is one thing a regime that can call the execution of a mother and her four daughters "heroic" doesn't need, it is a reward.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 16

(16)
david Schwep,
August 8, 2005 12:00 AM

Gaza Pullout

It is unthinkable that the Gaza pullout is in the best interest of Israel. Those who will immediately move-in are anti-Israel and will be in a more strategic position to attack her. This is as illogical, unreasonable and irresponsible as Russian Roulette.

David Schwep
Oregon, USA

(15)
Anonymous,
April 6, 2005 12:00 AM

It really pains me that there are people, otherwise intelligent, and knowledgeable about the middle east, who would disagree with Jeff Jacoby. It is patently obvious that the only way to peace in the middle east is "remaking Palestinian society from the bottom up." As true and obvious as this is, it is like banging your head against the wall to get people to understand this! Similarly, the conclusion that leaving Gaza will cause more terrorism is equally correct - and obvious. Israel has been down this road before (remember Barak's retreat from Lebanon, or for that matter the beginning of the "peace" process in 1993?) If I may be allowed to vent, since 1993 those people opposed to the "peace" process have called the situation in the Middle East for more accurately than anybody in the Israeli government did. It is indeed quite scary when people sitting in Chutz La'Aretz, thousands of miles away from the action, even without reading Israeli newspapers, were able to better understand what was happening than the people right there! Please don't misunderstand me - I don't pretend to have the right to tell Israel what to do. But I can express my opinion, and that is all I am doing now - nothing more.

(14)
Anonymous,
May 21, 2004 12:00 AM

Why Isreal needs to withdraw from Gaza

The only workable recipe for lasting Middle East peace is the difficult one of remaking Palestinian society from the bottom up. Of destroying its poisonous culture of violence, death-worship, and Jew-hatred.

Perhaps the Palistinains would stop the culture of violence if Israel withdraws from Gaza, and stop the murder of Palistinians...violence breeds violence. Isreal must be the first to stop the cycle.

(13)
Ken Rhodes,
May 18, 2004 12:00 AM

Evil deeds shall be punished

The murder of this family sickened me. How anyone could look upon this as anything other than evil escapes my understanding. I prayed for the Father, I felt his loss in my very body.
There is much evil in the world at this time, I am so sorry to know there is hatred in the world for the Jewish Faith. What can God our Father think, when his children become so despicable, course and vile. I pray for peace each day and my hope is that Peace come to the people of Israel. May God Bless all of you, and protect you in these troubled times.

(12)
Brandon,
May 16, 2004 12:00 AM

TIME FOR BOTH HANDS

For far too long, Isreal, now the United States have been fighting to stop terrorist with one hand tied behind their backs. As long as we bow to anti semites, anti west sentiments we will continue to bleed slowly and painfuly. We should unleash the full fury of our armed forces upon these people of mindless killers and then deal with the aftermath of international relations of countries with little or no understanding of the reality of current state of affairs in Isreal and the United States in regards to terror. Our first and foremost responsibility is the mere survival of our people. We can either do this, or stare at the slow poor of blood from our wounds and wonder why the anti semitic countries do not (A)see (B)care. Lets heal our wounds by fighting with both hands in a fury of our armed forces unleashed to their utmost capacity. After, we have saved ourselves, then we can spend more time and resources on public oppinion in countries that have turned a blind eye on the struggle of the jewish people. This is the oppinion of a Christian American living in Europe.

(11)
Anonymous,
May 15, 2004 12:00 AM

Gaza embarrasement.

Israel has been playing a game with the world for a very long time. They look for assistance from the world that has always turned their back on them. This is just another example of it. In the Kabbalos Shabbos prayers we say hes ori hes ori wake up! wake up! It won't change. Countries that have been anti- semitic and anti-Israeli and countries that have sympathized for Palestinian murderers will continue to do so. If Israel continues to believe that that the Arabs will let them live than they lost any sanity they ever had. This will not change until the Moshiach comes. May G-D bring him very soon.

(10)
yossi zuares,
May 15, 2004 12:00 AM

It is absolutely necessary to make a big campaign to inform the Israelis first,the mondial Jewery second,and finally the entire world,of the real situation in the territories,and the chance of a peace between Jews and Arabs.When I took the time to read about the conflict and understand the true expectations of Arafat and the terrorist groups,I finally had to disingage sorrowfully from my own wish to see Israel withdraw from land that it occupies for security reasons.We have to understand that the Palestinians and the Arab countries keep trying time and time again to destroy us,and when their plan fails ,they return to the negotiations table as if nothing happened.Israel cannot afford such a luxury:a single fatal mistake and the game will be over.Let's all remember that we are facing an enemy whose numbers equal the entire population of the United States!And their hatred towards us can rival that of the German Nazis.

(9)
Y David,
May 13, 2004 12:00 AM

We are playing a game

To all my fellow brethren,
We are playing a game here.The game is not ours.The game is theirs.They dictate the rules.We dictated the rules a long time ago.They have since then taken the reins and taken the power.It is as if they can do whatever they want whenever they want and that's fine.Not only that but we award them for whatever they do.We give in .We are still giving in.Why are we giving in.The great Sharon the mighty one.The big cheese.He is really weak.He is really nothing.The truth is that when all is said and done Hashem runs the show.Let us not forget that.Hashem runs Sharon and all his cronies.It is very tough what is happening to us now.It is hard to swallow.Every day more people more young Jewish boys being killed.
I think we should bomb them til they are no more.Dont we see what is happening right in front of our eyes?Dont we see that peace is not going to happen with these Behaimot?Why do we insist on giving them this land.Dont we see that they are just going to be that much closer to attacking us?You know what ? I have an idea.If Bush is so sure that giving them land will bring peace,let Bush live right next to the border of Gaza.Let him see firsthand how much peace there will be when that transfer of land will take place.For me,I pray for the Moshiach to come and show the world who is the real Boss.

(8)
Eric,
May 12, 2004 12:00 AM

Moving on

I think that, with all due respect, Mr. Sharon was right to say that some land will have to be given and afterward a division made for peace. Separate Israel from this people and let them wither while Israel prospers and moves on. Yes, they do not deserve this land, but what is the alternative?

(7)
N'drew,
May 11, 2004 12:00 AM

Point is right, but would take a miracle

Lea, I think the author's point is well made, when he says "only if - such a transformation takes place" It is a conceit, because "realistically" the gradual reshaping of "Palestinian" "society" into one that respects life, just as a basic common denominator with the civilized world, is not something that can happen without a miracle. Or maybe several miracles. It seemed possible for a moment that tremendous fear on the part of the hate-mongers might create a shift that enabled them to see the self-destructive nature of their evil thoughts and actions. Perhaps decisive, coherent action by the US and Israel might have made that clear, but recent events showcasing the failings and weaknesses of the forces of the Free World are likely to erode that strength. Not sure where now, but I'm sure that it will take faith. Entropy in terms of society, the value of a life spiraling down into the drainhole is realistic, but not, I pray, in G-d's plan.

(6)
Fred,
May 10, 2004 12:00 AM

Thank God no pull out

I was happy that the people of Israel have not given more land.Indeed it will not make the Arabs happy but would give them more opportunity and space to do their evils.The World needs to know that!

(5)
L.S. Krasniker,
May 10, 2004 12:00 AM

you miss the point

There is NO possibility for statehood, or independent authority for the losely knit group of people called Palestinians, because their only common issue is : hate for the Jews, and the wish to have all of the Land of Israel (with all her material blessings from Heaven). I promise you that Jordan is NOT interested in having them, neither Saudia or any other Moslem State. Their phenomenon is an anomaly, like the existance of the State of Israel is an anomaly. Both have their origin from Heaven. The Palestinian reason d'etre is to be a stick for the Jews. The moment the Jews follow the orders from Heaven, the Palestinian issue will dissolve itself. BUT NO STATEHOOD IS EVER POSSIBLE (and as your suggestion to change their society is to change the spots on the leopard). Be well and change YOUR way of thinking, and let go of your so-called pragmatic vieuw of the world. Lea

(4)
Markoosie Patsauq,
May 10, 2004 12:00 AM

Surrending Gaza

Giving away land that God gave to Jewish people for possession will not bring peace to Israel because without God's blessing nothing works.

(3)
Anonymous,
May 9, 2004 12:00 AM

When arabs kill people in Israel, the nations find it to be justified. But when arabs killed people in America, the nations found it to be incredibly horrible.

Attacks against innocent people are horrible where ever they happen and are never justifiable.

(2)
Meredith,
May 9, 2004 12:00 AM

Remaking Palestinian society

I agree with this premise that change will come only with changing how and what a society is taught. We have been working on that is the US regarding race relations. It takes time and commitment. Who will be teaching this new perspective amongst the Palestinian people? There has not been a commitment to this by the Palestinian leadership that I've read about. Are there 'everyday' Palestinians who are pushing for this new perspective to be taught?

(1)
Emily,
May 9, 2004 12:00 AM

grr

This article took me into rage
how are arabs allowed to act like this with no rage from the rest of the world?!?!?! Here's a quote I like:
If the Arabs put down thier weapons today there would be no more fighting.
If the Israelis put thier weapons down today there would be no more Israel

I was born with a neuromuscular disease known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy and have been confined to a wheelchair my entire life. Unfortunately my sister and I were raised without any religious instruction or guidance. My father wasn't Jewish and although my mother is, she openly claims to be an atheist. The "good news" is that both my sister and myself - independent of each other and at different times in our lives - realized that we are Jewish and chose to live a Jewish life.

Because of my disability, I'm not always able to attend services on Shabbat, but I always light candles, pray from a Siddur and read the weekly Torah portion. I would like to know whether, considering my situation, if using a computer is allowed during the Sabbath? I found the complete Bible online and since my computer is voice-activated I don't have to struggle to turn pages or continuously ask for assistance.

Thank you to everyone at Aish.com for making it possible for myself and so many others to learn about being Jewish and grow in the most important part of our lives.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Thank you so much for your encouraging words and for sharing your inspiring story.

God gives each of us a set of challenges. To those more capable of conquering difficulties, He gave bigger challenges. A challenge from God is a sign that He cares about us and has confidence in our ability to become great.

It sounds like you're doing great!

As for using the computer on Shabbat, that is prohibited. A foundation of Judaism is that we need to respect God's wishes, even if we think that doing otherwise is "for a good reason." Consider this story:

A king calls in his trusted minister and says: "I have an important mission for you to perform. Go to the neighboring kingdom and meet in the palace with their leaders. But remember one thing - under no circumstances must you remove your shirt during this meeting. Now go and do as I say."

The minister sets off on his merry way and soon arrives at the neighboring kingdom. There he heads straight for the palace where he meets with the King. In the midst of their discussion, he sees some of the king's officers pointing and laughing at him.

"Why are you laughing?" asks the visiting minister.

"Because we've never seen someone with such a pronounced hunchback as yourself," they say.

"What are you talking about? I'm not a hunchback!"

"Of course you are!"

"No I'm not!"

"We'll bet you one million dollars that you are!"

"Fine - I'll gladly take your bet."

"Okay, so take off your shirt and prove it."

At which point the minister remembers the parting words of the king... "under no circumstances must you remove your shirt during the meeting." Yet, the minister reasons, a million dollars would certainly bring added wealth to the king's coffers. I know I'm not a hunchback, so I'll surely win the bet. Of course, under these circumstances the king would approve...

The minister removes his shirt and proudly displays his perfect posture. With pride in his achievement, he holds out his hand, into which is placed a check for one million dollars.

The minister can barely contain his excitement. He quickly ends the meeting and runs back to give the wonderful news to his king. "I earned you a million dollars!" exclaims the minister. "It was easy. I only had to remove my shirt to prove that I wasn't a hunchback."

"You did what?!" shouts the king. "But I told you specifically not to remove your shirt. I trusted that you'd follow instructions, and so I bet the other king $10 million dollars that he couldn't get you to remove your shirt!"

The Torah tells us "Do not add or subtract from the mitzvahs." (Deut. 4:2) Jewish law is a precise metaphysical science. Consider a great work of art. Would you consider adding a few notes to a Bach fugue, or some brushstrokes to a Rembrandt portrait?!

Perfection, by definition, cannot be improved upon. Altering Torah law is an unacceptable implication that God is lacking.

The verse in Psalms 19:8 declares: "Torat Hashem Temimah" - the Torah of God is complete. For just as adding one wire to a transistor radio means it no longer can pick up reception, so too we mustn't tinker with Jewish law. The mitzvahs of God are perfect.

May the Almighty give you strength to continue your growth in Judaism.

In 1315, King Louis X of France called back the Jews who had been expelled a few decades earlier by King Louis IX. This marked a theme in Jewish-French life: expulsions and subsequent invitations to return. The French monarchy was trying to establish their land as the "new Jerusalem," and to fulfill this mission attempted several crusades to Israel. In 1615, King Louis XIII ordered that Christians were forbidden to speak with Jews, upon penalty of death. Eventually, in 1683, King Louis XIV expelled the Jews from the colony of Martinique.

Focus on what you do want. Make your goal explicit. “My goal is to increase my moments of joy.” This way, every single moment of joy is a successful moment.

Celebrate each moment of joy. Be grateful every time you experience joy.

Having this goal will place your attention on joy. Instead of feeling bad when you are not joyful, you will experience positive feelings about experiencing more joy.

Each moment of joy in your entire life is experienced one moment at a time. You can’t have more than one moment of joy in any given moment, but you can increase the number of joyful moments. How? By focusing on it.

There is no person on earth so righteous, who does only good and does not sin (Ecclesiastes 7:20).

Reading the suggestions for ridding oneself of character defects, someone might say, "These are all very helpful for someone who has character defects, but I do not see anything about myself that is defective."

In the above-cited verse, Solomon states what we should all know: no one is perfect. People who cannot easily find imperfections within themselves must have a perception so grossly distorted that they may not even be aware of major defects. By analogy, if a person cannot hear anything, it is not that the whole world has become absolutely silent, but that he or she has lost all sense of hearing and may thus not be able to hear even the loudest thunder.

In his monumental work, Duties of the Heart, Rabbeinu Bachaye quotes a wise man who told his disciples, "If you do not find defects within yourself, I am afraid you have the greatest defect of all: vanity." In other words, people who see everything from an "I am great/right" perspective will of course believe that they do no wrong.

When people can see no faults in themselves, it is generally because they feel so inadequate that the awareness of any personal defects would be devastating. Ironically, vanity is a defense against low self-esteem. If we accept ourselves as fallible human beings and also have a sense of self-worth, we can become even better than we are.

Today I shall...

be aware that if I do not find things within myself to correct, it may be because I am threatened by such discoveries.

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